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(No Model.) 2 SheetsSheet 1.

J. HEALY. GARBAGE CART.

No. 576,727. Patented Feb. 9, 1897.

(No Model.) 2 Sheets'Sheet 2.

J. HEALY. GARBAGE CART. No. 576,727. Patented Feb. 9, 1897.

UNITE. STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN HEALY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

GARBAG E-CART.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 576,727, dated February 9, 1897.

Application filed April 15, 1896. Serial No, 587,654. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, JOHN HEALY, a citizen of the United States, residing at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Garbage-Carts; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the artto which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to carts or other vehicles for the reception and transportation of garbage, ashes, and other refuse which is usually deposited in cans provided for that purpose and then transferred from the same to said carts to be removed to the dumpingground.

It has long been a great source of annoyance and discomfort to people dwelling in large cities to have their garbage and ashes, particularly the latter, emptied from their containing-cans openly into the receivingoart, as under the most favorable circumstances the sidewalk and persons passing will almost inevitably receive some of the fine dust therefrom, while on windy days the clouds of dust that arise from this source not onlylitter the sidewalk, but are also extremely offensive to people passing. It is to obviate this difficulty by emptying the contents of garbage and ash cans into the collecting-cart without any danger of the transfer resulting as above set forth that my invention is directed, and this I accomplish by providing said cart with a receiving-aperture that is normally closed but will be temporarily opened to receive the contents of a can, the latter serving as a cover during the transfer of contents and adapted to automatically close the lid of the cart when removed therefrom.

A further object of my invention is to provide for lifting the can to the dumping position on top of the cart through the forward movement of said cart, thus saving the driver this labor.

These objects I accomplish in the manner and by the means hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of a cart embodying my improvement. Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal section of the same. Fig. 3 is a rear elevation of the same. Fig. 4 is a wheels and the yoke 9.

detail sectional view of a portion of the top of the cart, showing the closing-lid and the means for operating the same. Fig. 5 is a detail perspective view of thelid andits closing hook or catch. Fig. 6 is a similar view of a portion of the can-lifting yoke. Fig. 7 is a similar view of a portion of the yoke-operating mechanism, and Fig. 8 is a similar view of the catches and releasing mechanism for the emptying-door of the cart.

Similar numerals of reference denote corresponding parts in the several views.

In the said drawings the reference-numeral 1 denotes the body of the cart, the same being preferably provided with the rearwardlyinclined bottom 2 and the curved top portion 3. A door 4, closing the rear lower end, serves as a means for emptying the cartof its contents, the said door being hinged atits top at 5 and being provided with a retaining and releasing mechanism hereinafter described. In the present instance the cart is illustrated as being provided with but two wheels 6, though if desired the same may be a four-wheeled vehicle. A suitable seat 7 is shown for the accommodation of the driver.

Mounted upon and freely rotatable on the wheel-axle S of the cart is a yoke 9, preferably engaged witlrsaid axle upon each side between the body and the wheels and extending upwardly therefrom and horizontally across the curved top 3 of the body, as clearly shown in Fig. Formed centrally upon the top of said yoke is a chute 10, the same being inclined rearwardly at an angle to the body of said yoke,-as clearly shown in Fig. 2. The open end of this chute is large enough to ad mit the upper end of an ordinary ash or garbage can 11, and is interiorly shouldered at 12 to li mitthe movement of said can thereinto. Suitable bayonet-slots 13 are formed in the end of said chute to engage with projections 14 on said can.

The lower ends of the yoke 9 are formed into extensions 15, supporting near their extreme ends a transverse rock-shaf t 16. running from one side of the cart to the otherand beneath the same. This rock-shaft has fixed to each end a pawl 17, adapted to normally engage with the teeth of ratchet-wheels 18, fixed to the wheel-axle 8 of the vehicle between the Tripping-dogs 19, also mounted on the rock-shaft l6, serve, by con- 'ically.

tacting with projections 20, fixed to the sides of the cart-body, to rock the shaft 16 and thus disengage the pawls 17 from the ratchetwheels 18 when the yoke 9 is in the position shown in Fig. 2. Springs 21 serve to keep the pawls 17 normally in engagement with teeth of the ratchet wheels 18. Mounted upon the lower part of the yoke 9, on one side, is a bell-cran k lever 22, having one of its arms connected by a chain 23 with the end of one of the dogs 1.) and its otherarm connected, through a pull-rod 24, with a hand-lever 25, pivoted to a handle 26, formed on the upper end of the yoke 9 at one side thereof. If desired, this construction may be duplicated upon the other side of the yoke. A loop 27, attached to this hand-lever 25, may, when desired, be swung over the handle 26 to draw and retain the two together.

Mounted centrally upon the curved top 3 of the cart, a little in front of the vertical line taken through the axle, is a sliding lid 28, curved to conform with the configuration of the curved top 3 and moving in suitable slides or tracks 29, fixed to the cart-top. This lid normally covers an aperture 30 in the top of the cart, through which the contents of the cans 11 are to be dumped, in a manner hereinafter described. Attached centrally near the rear edge of said lid 28 is a handle 31, which not only serves to open or close the lid manually, but also, in connection with other mechanism, to close the same automat- This mechanism consists of a book 32, pivoted intermediate its length centrally in the front of the upper horizontal part of the yoke 9. As said yoke approaches the lid 28 the front end of this hook will pass under the cross-bar of the handle and will engage therewith, the cam 33 on the tailpiece of said hook being sufficiently heavy to normally press the front end of said hook upward. Fixed on the top of the cart, a little to the rear of the lid 28, when closed, and in the path of travel of the hook 32, is a projection 34, over which the cam 33 of said hook is adapted to ride. The engagement of these two will thus depress the front end of said hook and release it from engagem ent with the handle 31.

The retaining and releasing construction for the emptying-door l of the cart consists of the two spring-hooks 35 for retaining the door closed, the same being recessed at 36 to receive a transverse rod 37, having a handle at one end projecting from one side of the cart, as shown. This rod has formed thereon two cams 38, which, when the rod is pulled endwise, will engage with the spring-hooks 35, forcing them away from the bottom of the cart and thus releasing the door l.

Fixed to each side of the body of the cart, near its upper edge and forward of the axle, are the steps 39, the same being faced on their rear sides with rubber 40, if desired, and adapted to limit the forward swinging movement of the yoke 9 on the axle.

If desired, spring-arms 41 may be also attached to the sides of the cart in proper position to engage with the yoke 9 when in its forward position and retain the same against accidental displacement.

From the above description the operation of my improved construction will be understood to be as follows: As the cart reaches a can filled, say, with ashes the driver, who of necessity always walks while collecting the ashes, will move the can to the rear of the cart and will, by grasping the handle 26 and lever 25, rock the shaft 10, thus withholding the pawls 17 from their engagement with the ratchet wheels 18 and enable him to draw down said yoke to the position shown in Fig. 1. It will be understood that the spring-arms ll will offer no material resistance, but will yield readily, being made only strong enough to prevent accidental movement of the yoke. By slightly tipping the can 11 it may be engaged by its projections 14. with the bayonetslots 13 in the chute of the yoke and be ready for lifting. Now by starting the horse the rotation of the axle 8 will be communicated to the ratchet-wheels 18 and through the engagement therewith of the pawls 17, carried by the extensions of the ends of the yoke 9, the latter will be rocked on said axle-shaft to the position shown in full lines, Fig. 2. Just as the yoke reaches this position, however, the dogs 19, by engaging with the projections on the sides of the cart, will rock the shaft 16, thus disengaging the pawls 17 from the ratchet-wheels 18 and stopping the movement imparted to said yoke, the stops 39 serving also to eifectuallycheck the same, and the spring-arms 41 by their engagement with the rear edges of said yoke serving to prevent any accidental movement to the rear. As the upper front edge of the yoke has approached the lid 28 of the cart, however, the hook 32 has passed into the handle 31 thereon, and as the front edge of said yoke comes in contact with the rear edge of the lid the latter will be forced by the subsequent movement of said yoke to slide forward in its slides or tracks 2.), thus uncovering the aperture in the top of the cart. The chute 10, however, in its forward movement passes over and covers said aperture as fast as the same is uncovered by the movement of the lid, and at the same time the can 11, carried by said chute, is reaching an angle where it will begin to discharge its contents into said chute. The complete emptying of said can is materially aided by the jar or shock occasioned by the yoke 9 striking the stops 39 as it reaches its forward limit. The driver, by now grasping the handle 26 and lever 25, may again bring down the yoke and the emptied can to the position shown in Fig. 1, where the latter may be detached and left. It will be noticed, however, that by reason of the engagement of the hook 32 with the handle 31 of the lid 28 the latter will be drawn forward to its initial position, covering the aperture 30 as theyoke moves downward. As

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the lid 28 reaches its closed position the cam 33 on the tail of the hook 32 will ride over projection 34 on the cart-top and thus release said hook from its engagement with the handle 31, thus leaving the lid 28 covering the aperture 30.

It will thus be seen that at no time during the dumping operation has the aperture 30 been open for the escape of the dust, either the lid 28 or the chute 10 covering it at all times.

Where the cans in use are of the same size and construction, a better plan of operation would be,when a can is picked up and dumped, to carry the same to the next can and substitute the one for the other, thus saving to the driver one lowering of the yoke 9 for each can dumped.

\Vhile I have herein shown and described a specific mechanism for connecting the cans to the chute 10, I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself to this construction, as any other suitable means for connecting the two together may be employed, if desired. Moreover, instead of mounting the ratchet-wheels 18 on the axle 8 and causing the latter to rotate with the wheels 6 I may make said axle fixed and mount the ratchet-wheels 18 on the hubs of the wheels, so that they will rotate with the latter.

Having thus described my invention, What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a garbage or ashvehicle, the combination with the receiving-body thereof, of means for engaging with the receptacle to be emptied as it stands upon the ground, and means for automatically raising the same to the dumping position through the forward movement of the vehicle, substantially as described.

2. In a garbage or ash vehicle, the combination with the receiving-body, and the running-gear supporting the same, of a device carried by the vehicle and adapted to be engaged with the receptacle to be emptied as the latter stands upon the ground, and mechanism operated by the rotating parts of the vehicle to automaticallylift the receptaole-holding device into dumping position on top of the vehicle as the latter moves forward, substantially as described.

3. In a garbage or ash vehicle, the combination with the receiving-body, and the running-gear supporting the same, of a device carried by the vehicle and adapted to be engaged with the receptacle to be emptied as the latter stands upon the ground, mechanism operated by the rotating parts of the vehicle to automatically lift the receptacle-holding device into dumping position on top of the vehicle as the latter moves forward, and means forautomaticall y disengaging said receptacleholding device from the lifting mechanism as the former reaches the proper dumping position, substantially as described.

4. In a garbage or ash vehicle, the combination with the receiving-body, and the runhing-gear supporting the same, of a device carried by the vehicle and adapted to be en gaged with the receptacle to be emptied as the latter stands upon the ground, mechanism operated by the rotating parts of the vehicle to automatically lift the receptacle-holding device into dumping position on top of the vehicle as the latter moves forward, means for automatically disengaging said receptacle-holding device from the lifting mechanism as the former. reaches the proper dumping position, and mechanism for retaining said device in dumping position against accidental displacement, substantially as described.

5. In a garbage or ash vehicle, the combination with the receiving-body, and the running-gear supporting the same, of a device carried by the vehicle and adapted to be engaged with the receptacle to be emptied as the latter stands upon the ground, mechanism operated by the rotating parts of the vehicle to automatically lift the receptacle-holding device into dumping position on top of the vehicle as the latter moves forward, means for automatically disengaging said receptacle-holding device from the lifting mechanism as the former reaches the proper dumping position, and means for manually retaining the lifting mechanism disengaged to bring the receptacle-lifting device down again to the receiving position, substantially as described.

6. In a garbage or ash vehicle, the combination with a normally-closed receiving-body, and the running-gear supporting the same, of a device carried by the vehicle and adapted to be engaged with the receptacle to be emptied as the latter stands upon the ground, mechanism operated by the rotating parts of the vehicle to automatically lift the receptacle from the ground into dumping position on top of the vehicle as the latter moves forward, and means for automatically uncovering a receiving-aperture in the top of the vehiclebody as the receptacle comes into dumping position in respect thereto, substantially as described.

7. In a garbage or ash vehicle, the combination with a norm ally-closed receiving-bod y, means for automatically lifting a receptacle to be emptied into dumping position on top of the vehicle, and means for automatically uncovering an aperture in the vehicle-top as the receptacle arrivesin dumping position and for closing the same as said receptacle leaves the dnmpin g position, substantially as described.

8. In a garbage or ash vehicle, the combination with a receiving-body, and the running-gear supporting the same, of a yoke rotatably mounted upon the axle of the vehicle at each side and extending transversely across the body of the vehicle, a chute centrally carried by said yoke and adapted to be detachably engaged with a receptacle to be emptied as the latter stands upon the ground, and

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mechanism connecting said yoke with the rotating parts of the vehicle whereby said yoke and receptacle may be automatically raised to dumping position on top of the vehicle as the latter moves forward, substantially as described.

9. In a garbage or ash vehicle, the combination with a receiving-body, and the running-gear supporting the same, of a yoke rotatably mounted upon the axle of the vehicle at each side and extending transversely across the body of the vehicle, a rearwardly-inclined chute cent-rally carried by said yoke and adapted to be detachably engaged with a receptacle to be emptied as the latter stands upon the ground, and mechanism connecting the said yoke with the rotating parts of the vehicle whereby said yoke and receptacle may be automatically raised to dumping position on top of the vehicle as the latter moves forward, substantially as described.

10. In a garbage or ash vehicle, the oombination with a receiving-body, and the running-gear supporting the same, of a yoke rotatably mounted upon the axle thereof at each side and extending transversely across the body of the vehicle and adapted to be detachably engaged with a receptacle to be emptied as the latter stands upon the ground, mechanism connecting said yoke with the rotating parts of the vehicle whereby said yoke and receptacle may be automatically raised to dumping position on top of the vehicle as the latter moves forward, and means for automatically disengaging said yoke from said lifting mechanism as the former reaches the proper dumping position, substantially as described.

11. In a garbage or ash vehicle, the combination with a receiving-body, the runninggear supporting the same, a yoke rotatably mounted upon the axle thereof ateach side and extending transversely across the body of the vehicle, and a chute formed centrally on said yoke and adapted to be detachably engaged with a garbage-can as the latter stands upon the ground, of ratchet-wheels mounted on the axle and rotated by the movement of the vehicle, pawls mounted on the yokes and adapted to normally engage the teeth of said ratchet-wheels, a transverse rock-shaft connecting said pawls, dogs mounted on said shaft, and projections on the sides of the vehicle against which said dogs contact as the yoke is rotated, thus rocking said shaft and disengaging the pawls from the ratchetwheels, substantially as described.

12. In a garbage or ash vehicle, the combination with a receiving-body, the runninggear supporting the same, a yoke rotatably mounted upon the axle thereof at each side and extending transversely across the body of the vehicle, and a chute formed centrally on said yoke and adapted to be detachably engaged with a garbage -can as the latter stands upon the ground, of ratchet-wheels mounted on the axle and rotated by the movement of the vehicle, pawls mounted on the yoke and adapted to normally engage the teeth of said ratchet-wheels,a transverse rocksh aft connecting said pawls, dogs mounted on said shaft, projections on the sides of the vehicle against which said dogs contact as the yoke is rotated,thus rockingsaid shaft and disengaging the pawls from the ratchet-wheels, stops on the sides of the vehicle to limit the forward movement of the yoke, and spring arms to retain said yokes in position against said stops, substantially as described.

13. In a garbage or ash vehicle, the combination with a receiving-body, the running gear supporting the same, a yoke rotatably mounted upon the axle thereof at each side and extending transversely across the body of the vehicle, and a chute formed centrally on said yoke and adapted to be detachably engaged with a garbage-can as the latter stands upon the ground, of ratchet-wheels mounted on the axle and rotated by the movement of the vehicle, pawls mounted on the yoke and adapted to normally engage the teeth of said ratchet-Wheels,a transverse rockshaft connecting said pawls, dogs mounted on said shaft, a bell-crank lever mounted on the yoke and having one of its arms engaged with one of said dogs, a hand-lever pivoted to the outer end of the yoke, and a pull-rod connecting said lever With the other arm of the bell-crank lever whereby the rock-shaft may be rocked manually and the pawls disengaged from the ratchet-wheels, substantially as described.

14. In a garbage or ash vehicle, the combination with the receiving-body having an aperture in the'top thereof, and a sliding lid normally closing the same, of a can-lifting yoke pivoted on the vehicle-axle and adapted in its forward movement to abut against said lid and slide the same forward to uncover the aperture, and means on the yoke for detachably engaging with said lid to draw the same to its closed position again as the yoke returns to its lowermost position, substantially as described.

15. In a garbage or ash vehicle, the combination with the receiving-hotly having an ap erture in the top thereof, and a sliding lid normally closing the same, of a can-lifting yoke pivoted on the vehicle-axle and adapted in its forward movement to abut against said lid and slide the same forward to uncover the aperture, a catch pivoted intermediate its length in the front of the yoke and adapted to engage with the lid as the two come together, and a projection on the vehicle-top for tripping said catch to disengage the same from the lid when the latter reaches its closed position, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN I'IEALY.

IVitnesses:

J. L. ISAACS, WM. RIOHTBERG. 

